Tottenham Hotspur were drawn away to Tranmere Rovers or Southport FC in the third round of the FA Cup, to be played on January 5 or 6, 2019. Spurs reached the semi-finals of the competition last season, suffering a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United.

Deli Alli had put the Londoners ahead in the 11th minute before Alexis Sanchez (24’) and Ander Herrera (62’) turned the game on its head. Mauricio Pochettino will be desperate to go one better in 2018/19, having reached the final four of the FA Cup in each of the last two seasons.

Spurs will be big favourites to come out on top at Tranmere and Southport and supporters were very confident of a win in January. Pochettino is expected to rest a number of first-team players for the third-round clash, but gulf in class should be telling enough.

Tranmere are currently eighth in League Two with 31 points from 20 games this season. Rovers reached the FA Cup third round after beating Oxford City in the first round and drawing with Southport in the second – The replay is due on December 11.

As for Southport, they’re 19th in the National League with 17 points from 16 games. They had to beat Farsley Celtic, Curzon Ashton and Ashton United in the preliminary rounds before dispatching of Boreham Wood in the FA Cup first round. A win in their replay with Tranmere will see them facing Spurs, but it will be a big ask.

Either way, Tottenham will fancy their chances regardless of which side emerges victorious later in December.